John 11
The Raising of Lazarus in Biblical Art
The raising of Lazarus became a major subject because it brings grief, command, death, and life into one charged moment.
Bible and Art Context
Rembrandt uses strong darkness and light to focus the scene on Christ's command and Lazarus emerging from death. The painting echoes John 11's claim that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
Public domain
The Raising of Lazarus
Rembrandt, circa 1630-1632, Oil on panel
Rembrandt makes the miracle feel like a command spoken into darkness.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
CC0
The Raising of Lazarus
Jacques Bellange, ca. 1606-1608, Pen and brown ink with brown wash
Bellange turns the miracle into a compressed drama of gesture, fabric, and movement around the threshold between death and life.
Source: The Met Open AccessQuestions about Raising of Lazarus in Art
Where is Lazarus raised from the dead in the Bible?
The raising of Lazarus is found in John 11.
What does Rembrandt emphasize in The Raising of Lazarus?
Rembrandt emphasizes darkness, astonishment, and the authority of Christ's command.